Senators 5, Hurricanes 1

Associated Press

OTTAWA (AP) -The Ottawa Senators got much-needed offensive production from some struggling sources to end their most recent skid.

Dany Heatley, Dean McAmmond and Mike Fisher scored and Ottawa stopped a five-game losing streak with a 5-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night.

Heatley, who was replaced by Fisher on the Senators' first power-play unit, scored his first goal in nine games early in the first before McAmmond ended a 21-game drought midway through the opening period to put Ottawa up 2-0.

"We played a good game," said Jason Spezza, who set up Heatley's goal. "Two guys scored goals, I think it helps their confidence, and it's nice to get contributions from everyone tonight and I think that can go a long way for our club, so we're happy with the result."

Antoine Vermette added the Senators' third goal with 26 seconds remaining in the second and Fisher - who played his 500th regular season game - scored on a power play midway through the third for his first goal in 20 games.

"Any time it's been a while it definitely feels good," Fisher said. "I've just got to keep going."

Chris Phillips scored his fourth goal with 4:47 remaining.

Brian Elliott made 23 saves in his second straight start for the Senators, who lost 2-0 to the New York Rangers on Saturday in their first home game following a 1-6-1 trip.

"I don't know, I think the guys are confident in themselves," said Elliott, who was called up from Binghamton of the AHL on Friday. "It's a good team in there and it's kind of a mystery why we're at the bottom of the standings, but if we keep playing games like that I don't think we'll be there for long."

Joe Corvo scored on a power play in the second for Carolina, which has lost three straight.

Cam Ward, pulled after allowing three goals in Saturday's 5-1 loss in Boston, stopped 35 shots in his ninth straight start for the Hurricanes.

"He obviously does the best he can every night and things fall squarely on our shoulders, the guys who are playing in front of him right now," Corvo said.

Jarkko Ruutu returned to the Senators' lineup after serving a two-game suspension for biting Sabres forward Andrew Peters' gloved hand in a 4-2 loss in Buffalo one week earlier.

Heatley scored 3:45 in when he was left unguarded in the slot. The two-time 50-goal scorer drove in to beat Ward for his 17th goal of the season after taking Jason Spezza's centering pass when Carolina defensemen Joni Pitkanen and Dennis Seidenberg both converged on the Ottawa center as he drove the right side.

"Yeah, that wasn't a particularly well sorted out 2-on-2, was it?" Hurricanes coach Paul Maurice said. "We've had a lot of new partners and they're still working with each other."

Heatley hadn't found the back of the net since Dec. 23, when he scored twice - the only two goals in his previous 15 games - in a 6-4 loss in Philadelphia.

McAmmond ended a 21-game goal drought to put Ottawa up by 2 at 11:09 as the Hurricanes' defense let down Ward once again.

Carolina defenseman Niclas Wallin turned over the puck to McAmmond in the neutral zone and the Ottawa center drove in on a breakaway and beat Ward for his second goal of the season.

Corvo drew the Hurricanes within 2-1 when he drove a slap shot past Elliott from the left point at 8:27.

Vermette scored into an open right side at 19:34, just seconds after Carolina's Anton Babchuk stepped out of the penalty box.

Ottawa's power play bore fruit 8:29 into the third as Fisher scored his first goal since Nov. 27.